Cincsentits (Aribau 58, tel: 93 323 94 90) – very new and very smart, amazing tasting menus with different wines at each course www.cincsentits.com vvv highly recommended. Like most places mentioned below, absurdly cheap by London/NYC standards. The 10-course tasting menu including wine was €65/£46/$82.
Others in El Born
Abac (Carrer Rec 78-89) – looks wonderful and comes highly recommended by Conde Nast Traveller as ‘best restaurant in the city’
Senyor Parrellada (Argenteria 37, tel: 93 310 50 94) – for some of the best Catalan specialities in a beautiful colonial-style building. Long queues if you don’t book
La Vinya del Sinyor (Placa Santa Maria 5) – great wine bar run by same family as Parrellada on the most attractive small square in the city
El Xampanyet (Carrer Montcada 22) a legendary bar – very small and snug family-run hostelry – Barcelona’s equivalent of the Bar Italia in Soho
Eusakal Etxea (Carrer Montcada) right opposite Xampanyet. As even Barcelona’s residents would admit, the best tapas bars in town are Basquais. This is a prime example where the food tastes even better washed down with Txakolin, the dry fizzy Basquais wine poured from a great height by the bar staff. Restaurant in back
And talking of Txakolin, that’s the name of the best tapas bar in the City, just around the corner (Carrer Marques de l’Argentera 19). Huge horse shoe shaped bar where they cunningly bring out fresh tapas every five minutes just when you think you have had enough and must go
Elsewhere
Agua – best restaurant by far on the beach by Hotel Arts (Pg Maritm de la Barceloneta, 30 Tel: 932251272). Eat outside [yes, we know you ate outside and got sunburnt while we shivered in London last weekend] except on very hot days. Booking essential at weekends.
El Quim in Boqueria market – best market stall food. Closed Monday. Food cooked in front of your eyes in tiny kitchen to fill up the market workers. Can’t book so det there early or you will wait for a lunch seat. Great boudin noir and fried eggs with grated fish
Boadas (Tallers 1) – best cocktail bar, just off the Ramblas near Plaza Catalunya. Art deco bar opened in 1930s by Cuban émigrés with the feel of the Savoy American bar. Very crowded and smoky but one on its own.
Cafe de l'Opera (La Ramblas 74, right opposite Liceu theatre/metro) – best café by far among the many tatty venues on this street, with more than a hint of La Coupole in Paris. Sink into Atkins-free heaven with churros (donut type things) dipped into hot chocolate.
